how did u get

Moparty08 · Post by **Moparty08** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:51 am

I've always been a dodge guy ever since i saw the viper when i was 5. I had a 94 buick lesabre. It was my mom's but then she could no longer drive it. that car had about a 20 gallon tank. Filling that bitch took about 60 bucks. I really started to hate that car so i stopped taking care of it. pretty soon the car had no oil in it and as i was driving the whole engine just shit the bed. At the time my cousin was selling his 01 se with 69k for 2,000. I got an inheritence from when my grandmother passed away and bought the car from him. I wasn't really a neon fan but it was so much sportier than my other car. Ever since that day I can't stand to drive anything else. I now own two neons.

Post by **Canada** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 6:32 pm

Which one?

I have owned (in chronological owning order)

2005 Dodge SX2.0 (Electric Blue)
2002 Dodge Neon R/T (Bright Silver)
1998 Plymouth Expresso (Black / SRT Swapped)
1997 Dodge Neon Coupe (Was Amethyst, no black & white)
1995 Dodge Neon ACR (NYG)
1998 DOdge Neon R/T (Black / Silver Stripes)

As far as how I got them, I bought them?

Post by **jonnymopar** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:31 pm

I graduated college in August 2004, at which time my old Daytona already had over 200,000 miles on it. I loved that car to pieces, but I knew the day would come where I would have to retire it. About 8 months later, inspection sticker time came. No matter what I did, I couldn't get it to pass emissions. I had a crack in my windshield that I had just replaced a year and a half before that (I was told when it was replaced that the upper pinch weld was completely rotted away and the new windshield may or may not be supported properly). Suffering 17 New England winters without being garaged was finally catching up with it, as the front strut towers were dangerously rotted, as well as the floors.

I had my heart set on a Stratus SXT Coupe (I know it's not a Dodge, but I like them). They had just recently halted production of the Stratus Coupe and I couldn't find one in a 5-speed, not even an R/T. Not to mention that, after some crunching, I couldn't comfortably swing the payments with my student loans and my very shaky job situation. I decided to get a Neon because it's the only Dodge I could get with a 4-cylinder and a 5-speed, not to mention they were pleasantly inexpensive for what they offered.

Within a month, I had it narrowed down to two Neons. The first contender was a silver 2002 SXT with 56k miles on it for $6499. Not bad, but it didn't have a lot of warranty left. The other one is the little slut that now gets me everywhere... my 2003 SXT with the Sport Appearance Package. As it sat on the dealer lot, it already had installed from the previous owner:

-Borla cat-back exhaust
-Goldline lowering springs
-BF Goodrich g-Force Sport 195/55VR15 tires
-LFS Racing 60mm throttle body
-Iceman cold air intake with a K&N
-Vibrant front strut tower brace
-DC Sport rear strut tower brace

The car had 27k miles on it and was absolutely pristine. The previous owner traded it in for an SRT-4 and just left the upgrades installed since, other than the strut tower braces, none of them would work with the SRT-4 anyway. I walked away with it for $9300 and have been very happy with it. I've driven this car 83k miles while covering 14 US states and it's been great.

sullivan · Post by **sullivan** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:33 pm

blew up my 89 supra twin turbo, my 98 f150 was a bitch on gas, so i bought my 2000 for $500. learned a shitload. screwed it up alot learning, then i found a mint 98 sport coupe. swapped the 5spd in and were just finishing the motor

Moparty08 · Post by **Moparty08** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:39 pm

Stratus not a dodge? hmmm. I'm currently working on selling my DODGE stratus

Post by **Diablo0** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:18 am

It's an Eclipse in disguise.

Post by **jonnymopar** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:27 am

moparty08 wrote:Stratus not a dodge? hmmm. I'm currently working on selling my DODGE stratus

Stratus COUPE is a Mitsubishi. Stratus SEDAN is all Dodge.

TheRandom1 · Post by **TheRandom1** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:28 am

Badge on it still said Dodge so it counts in my book.

Moparty08 · Post by **Moparty08** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:28 am

TheRandom1 wrote:Badge on it still said Dodge so it counts in my book.

Same here. Well in any case my stratus is a sedan.

Post by **jonnymopar** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:00 pm

moparty08 wrote:Well in any case my stratus is a sedan.

Well, then it's a Dodge anyway. The Dodge D50, Dodge Colt, Dodge Avenger, and Chrysler Conquest were all Mitsubishis as well.

Paul56 · Post by **Paul56** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 4:55 pm

A friend and co-worker had one for sale at a very reasonable price, so despite having a bad opinion of the Neon I purchased it anyway.

I no longer have a bad opinion and quite enjoy the Neon... wish I had purchased one new from the factory.

neonrog · Post by **neonrog** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:25 pm

Back in 2003, I had a 70 mile each way commute. My old minivan (87 Grand Caravan, first year of the Grand, first year for the 3.0 V6) had turned 230,000 miles, and the transmission was making ugly sounds. My 02 F150 Supercrew was costing me $20 a day to drive...

Decided I needed inexpensive transportation. Bought my 03 Base Model Neon SE, 5 speed and air and a light color was ALL I wanted. So I drove my Stone White SE home. No frills, no power windows or locks or anything (though, I wish I could have had cruise control). I ALMOST bought the SRT4. But, I know my foot, and I had a teenage son about ready to drive... So the SE won...

Changed jobs after 3 months with it and 15,500 miles under it. Now my commute was only 7 miles each way... When I got laid off 2 years later, the Neon took me for interviews and job searches throughout the Southwest, and after finding a job just 150 miles from home, took me back and forth every weekend.

Even though I bought the little car for its economy (why I bought the 5 speed), I really began to appreciate how zippy it felt (and still feels).

I changed jobs again a few months later and moved the family to Utah. My son's Ranger became a problem, and I was buying a Jeep, so my son drove my Neon to college. THAT was only supposed to be short term, but became a three year deal for the boy! Until I bought him something else last spring and I got my Neon back.

The other day, it turned 92,000 miles, hasn't caused me any real problems (well, the trans shit the bed at 20,000 miles and was replaced under warranty). I carpool/commute with three other guys, all of us are decent sized guys. And manage about 32-33 MPG while doing it. With the AC running. As I recall, I bought this strictly for its mileage anyway!

All in all, it has been one of the best cars I've ever owned, and expect to see 200,000 miles on it or more.

Hmmm, I might have to find me an SRT4 next spring...

dodge_girl · Post by **dodge_girl** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:09 pm

I was actually helping a friend look for a car, and we were out one night driving around to dealerships lookin at cars. We went to a chevy dealer and while walking through the lot i noticed the neon and walked over, i fell in love with it instantly. I went back the next morning and test drove it and knew i had to have it lol. got back to the dealership but a down payment. Then i traded in my 01 pt cruiser and took home the neon almost 3 years later and i still love it as much as i did that first day. So much so that i bought another one

Chris04sxt · Post by **Chris04sxt** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:16 pm

I was sitting at the dealership waiting for my 07 Impala to get inspected. Being bored, I went for a walk around the dealership to kill some time. I had already been looking for a 2nd car because it was just getting to difficult for me and the wife to function with just one car.

After about 5 hours of waiting for the Impala to be done and negotiating with the salesman/sales manager, I walked out the door owning 2 cars and didn't have to break out the wallet that day. The straw that broke my back was them paying my shop bill for the Impala, which was $650, and I talked them down almost $5k on the Neon.

AR04SRT · Post by **AR04SRT** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:56 pm

i always had a neon lol a 1st gen (still have it) then a 2nd gen (got stolen) and saw the srt-4 CHEAP!! so i payed it cash with my Grant from school! lol

Alex Kurdian · Post by **Alex Kurdian** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:16 pm

Well a long long time ago in a country far far away I was helping a friend look for a new car...We drove past a chrysler dealership and I said hey I heard this new car has come out called a neon...

So we went to have a looksy...

She didn't think much but I saw hey potential....it looked a bit boring all on its own but I pictured it lowed and mag wheeled and the rest...She has a goodshape to her...

I didnt know much about the car but after a few months and alota test driving I bought one...I didnt have much cash but hey it cost me 24,000 Aussie dollars at the time...the LE which has ABS and the rest was 30,000! Yeah yeah we get ripped off here...it sux...

None of the JAP cars interested me in the time...all the aussie cars are shit so hey why not...alot of people here bought one when chrysler released the neon...they were everywhere...but as time went by they slowly disappeared off the roads and were replaced by either JAP or euro cars...Sad Sad but true......I know the neon isnt flash but hey its mine and I cant part with her...plus the wife wont let me buy a new car yet!

But i look after it and its mine...now shes unique on the roads cause there aint any!

So thats my story...

gsxr7racer · Post by **gsxr7racer** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:50 pm

Traded a Jeep TJ for a '97 sedan when we had our first kid because it was the only damn car I could find with 4 doors and a manual transmission. Liked it so much I bought a 2000 a friend rebuilt 4 years later. Then I decided to get something with some jam and wasn't too expensive so hence my 2008 caliber SRT.

v95 · Post by **v95** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:54 pm

started high wit a 91 mazda 626 and engine blew so rx7 swap, gave to my bro. bought a vr4 and loved it to death and it got un practical with mods. mom gave me my 05 sxt as a beater and I was not thrilled about but once I started modding it I loved it. bought the r/t in hopes of following other in the boosting of the 2.0

Napaboy · Post by **Napaboy** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 12:04 am

when i turned 17 my 71 c10 wasnt cutting it for everyday driver anymore so i was suppose to get a 90 sunbird for a handy down car witch i was cool with then my parents decided to give it to my twin sister out of no were in a hole in a ground so i went out that week and bought the newest car in the family to piss my parents off behind there back witch turned out to be a 98 highline then i totaled that off and bought a 02 chyrsler le neon then that got t boned in the drivers door on the highway and i bought a 03 sx with a body kit and other fun toys

chrisrunsi · Post by **chrisrunsi** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 12:43 pm

Changed colleges in 2007 and Public trans became not practical. Looked around for about 3 weeks and it came down to my 03 SXT or an 04 grand prix v6. Stats showed the gp didnt have that bad gas mileage but it was an auto and I really wanted manual. Took the neon for a test drive the next day (never driving manual before) and made it around a couple blocks without stalling. Had 62k when bought for 4,000 and I'm rounding 80k now. Not a problem with it except for things I've done.

tommigun · Post by **tommigun** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 3:38 pm

I had thought about buying a car for a long time since using public transit took forever for my girlfriend to arrive at my crib. Then I saw this -02 Neon at the place I used to work. For about a week or two I passed that car by and grew more and more fond of it. Finally I took it for a test drive and instantly fell in love with it so one loan later I drove the car home. Still have it and probably will have it as long as EU doesn't ban fuel vehicles.

smiley · Post by **smiley** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 4:58 pm

i got mine before i got my permit, so i think when i was going into my sophomore year of high school, and im now a junior in college, but they took me to the dealership and said they needed to pick a part up for my uncle, and my grams went inside and me and my gramps were outside and started looking at this yellow neon. he was like do u think u would like to have or drive a car like this, and i was like noo, lol, because i like tuner and it wasnt one, and then he was like well its yours, i was like whatttt. and the car was completely paid off when it rolled out of the dealer. so it was real suprising and cool.

basically i was happy as shit to have a car, and finally a few years later i started the modding

and now i love neons

tim8600 · Post by **tim8600** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 5:05 am

I was 18 and looking at getting an avenger v6 with a 5 speed but i couldn't find any that i liked. Then decided on looking for a 1g neon with a dohc 5 speed and couldn't find any that i liked either. then i stumbled across a red 00 es 5sp with 60k . bought it about a week later and had it the last 4 years put 70k on it, then i hit a deer this past may doing 70 and totalled it out. loving that car so much i didn't want anything other than another neon. Found another 00 es w/atx on craiglist mint condition with 95k on it and bought that car 3 days later after i got my insurance check . Plans are swap my new car to mtx.

Post by **jonnymopar** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:34 pm

tim8600 wrote:I was 18 and looking at getting an avenger v6 with a 5 speed but i couldn't find any that i liked.

That's actually what I wanted to get when I first decided to retire my Daytona, but after some research, I found that combination sadly doesn't exist. That had to hurt sales of Avengers when they were new.

neon2.0 · Post by **neon2.0** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:04 pm

Well Im a little late on this one, just joined here, but I got my Neon from my grandfather who passed away. RIP Joe So I have been fixing it all up and getting it back on the road and am now looking to do some mods to improve it.

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:25 pm

Dodge been the only thing in our garage sine I was born. Dad had 6 neons before we looked at mine. I loved the color and it was something good on gas.

nabster33 · Post by **nabster33** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:45 pm

I worked at dodge when I was 16 and had to clean all the sexy srt-4's. what torture that was. Couldn't afford one so I got a used 2001 r/t loved it and drove it until last year. sold it to my dad and got a 2009 mazdaspeed3 hoping to get rid of my want for an srt-4.

Ms3 didn't cut it so I sold it and got a 2005 srt-4. Now I'm happy I always wanted one

and yes i sold a brand new car so I could buy a used srt. I'm not crazy just always wanted one

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:55 pm

I come from a Mopar family, my first car was a brand new fully loaded 01 Stratus R/T Coupe, deep evergreen how I loved that car. I traded it for a brand new 03 leftover special edition Miata in April of 04. I owned both cars for over a year until I sold the Miata outright. In July of 04 I started working at a Dodge dealership and we had a black SRT with fat kid seats sitting in the showroom. Originally I didn't like them, but I liked the black one.....it really grabbed me.

So I had and 04 SRT-4 trucked in from Boston with the options I wanted. $21,810 out the door. But I had no clue how to drive a standard. So in one week I put 1,000 miles on the car just driving around teaching myself how to drive. All of my transmission internals are still original to this day. And my father had no idea the car was a standard until 3.5 years later!!!

5.5 years and 123k later...I still love Lucius more than alot of things. He's my baby

Then this year my boyfriend and I decided Lucius wouldn't be on the road this winter, it would be better for him if he wasn't. So....we went out and searched for another neon. I didn't care what color it was, didn't want red though, but it had to have A/C, be a 5 speed and have power.

Browsing Auto Trader I found Nee out in West Hartford, CT. I called the guy the same day and went to look at him two days later. I left a deposit and he is now mine. We own both cars outright

Come springtime we'll be getting another neon, this time for Chris.

toddw814 · Post by **toddw814** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:51 am

was looking for a good cheap car for my girls first car.
i lived in NW Pennsylvania and drove around all day looking for cars when i came across a 2000 neon that was in great shape at a lill personal dealer
i talked to the guy and found out the tranny was out and got the car for $600 and bought a tranny for 300
unfortanatly we kinda have to shift it manualy
at first i thought it could have been the valve body sticking thats why it wasnt shifting right and then i thought maybe it was the transmission module but then i fing out the tranny came out of an 03+ neon which had a 4 speed auto and mine came with a 3 speed
it works and runs but we got to up shift and down shift the car and work throttle to make shift but it works
i plan on doing an srt swap with a 5 speed so it will work for now
but now that i have researched the neon more i fell in love and kinda stole it away from my girl but luckly she dont mind b/c she is a car enthusiast as well lol and love all the work im doing to and has accually been funding the hole thing
i just do all the work lol

neonpla · Post by **neonpla** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:48 am

it was cheap, then i wanted cheap speed so here i am.

2GN.ORG

how did u get

How I got my Neon 2001 SE